The Washington bee., 1887-02-12
OPEN LETTER TO J. j. IN.
CALLS, CHAIRMAN COM
MITTEE, DISTRICT OF
COLUMBIA.
(From the Editor.)
Feb. II, 1887.

Feb. II, 1887.
Senator:
You in your letter to the Presi.
dent say that your course in Res
corder Matthews case was not
actuated by color prejudice, but
out of Difference to the wishes of
the citizens of Washington, white
and black; OF the former we have
nothing to say, leaving them to
their God and their conscience, of
the latter we are in a position to
speak from personal knowledge,
and we assert that up to this
writing no petition of respectable
ity either In character or number
from coIored citizens of Washing
ton have been filed in the Senate
against the confirmation of Re
corder Matthews; to the contrary
petitions numerously signed by
respectable, responsible, and tax
paying colored C tizens tavoring
the confirmation of that gentle
man have been filed with your
committee among the signers
were John Wesley Cromwell, ed
itor of the ''PeopIe's Advocate"
Lewis I'll. Douglass, son OF Fred
erick Douglass, and others OF like
standing aud character. Senator,
as you appear over solicitous in
Difference to the wishes of the
citizens of Washington in the
Matthews case, will you please
explain your indifference and
inertness in the matter of their
wishes IN the scnool b II, which is
pigeon holed in your committee?
Have you ever had a bill more
respec ably vouched for than the
school bill pres nted by the citi-
zens headed by the venerable and |
respected Chief Justice Caette?
Have you not heard the thunder
of the local press, without excep-
ton, asking for its passage; have
you not heard that such eminent
divines as DR.. Sunderland and
DIR. Bartlett, and other equally
prominent clergymen favor and |
advocate its passage? Why then !
with such array of eminent citi-
zens favoring a public measure do
you hesitae to "defer to the
wishes of the citizens of Wash>
ington?" We will answer for you
Senator, there's "no nigger in the
wood pile You may air your
self as much as you please, and |
talk of your great love for the
Negro, you like him as a menial
and not as peer, and that
which you would commend in
white man as bright and smart
would, coming from a Negro, be
regarded as impertinence.
The bones of old John Brown
must rattle i'll his coffin when
through the spiritual world he
sees the great state OF Kansas,
which he loved so well, and which
through his efforts was made
free state, represented on the
floor of the Senate of the United
States by man whose summary
as legislator consists in having
defeated an honorable, upright
and capable colored gentleman
for a petty local position in the
District OF Columbia. The record
is yours Senator, and like Banquos
ghost, it will not down. The
''Kitchen Cabinet" whose chef is
your man Friday may tell you
what they please as to the feeling
of the colored people respecting
the rejection, through your lead
ership, Of Recorder Matthews,
and they doubtless represent the
small coterie of sychophants
whom they affiliate with you.
But We have touched the pulse
and heart of the colored masses
and know whereof we speak when
we assert that the Negroes
throughout the country are IN
sympathy with Recorder Mat
thews in his manly fight against
Negro haters and they resent the
imputation cast upon their man
hood and self respect in being